Ohio Wesleyan 13, Denison 1
Denison 2, Ohio Wesleyan 1

March 30, 2008

Sophomore third baseman Eric McComas (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves) drove in 6 runs to spark the Bishops to a win over Denison in the opener of a North Coast Athletic Conference West Division doubleheader on Sunday in Granville.

In the nightcap, senior outfielder Joey McDaniel (Dublin/Scioto) singled in a run that gave the Bishops a 1-0 lead, but Denison answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning and held on for a win to salvage a split of the twinbill.

The Bishops took a 1-0 lead in the opener when junior outfielder Matt Rhode (Port Clinton) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on an infield out and scored on a single by junior shortstop Logan Hronis (Rocky River/St. Edward).

Ohio Wesleyan erupted for 6 runs in the fourth, with senior outfielder Brent Wilkins (Fairview Park/Fairview) smacking an RBI single, then Rhode, senior second baseman Jerrell Johnson (Shaker Heights) and McDaniel lining RBI doubles before McComas capped the inning with a 2-run single.

The Big Red got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on Peter Krieger's RBI single, but Ohio Wesleyan countered with Rhode's RBI single in the fifth and an RBI single by McComas in the sixth.

The Bishops broke the game open with 4 runs in the seventh, with McComas belting a 3-run homer to highlight the frame.

McComas was 3-for-5 with 6 RBI in the game, while Hronis went 3-for-3.

McDaniel pitched the complete game for Ohio Wesleyan, finishing with a 3-hitter. He struck out 2 and walked one.

Park Smith was the starting and losing pitcher for Denison.

The Bishops took a 1-0 lead in the nightcap when Rhode led off the fourth inning with an infield single. Johnson forced Rhode at second, but advanced to second himself on an error by Denison second sacker Len Mills. McDaniel followed with a single up the middle to score Johnson and put the Bishops on the scoreboard.

Denison answered in the bottom of the inning as Andy Johnson and Danny Pritz lined back-to-back one-out singles. After the runners moved to second and third on Mills's infield out, Tim LaBolt doubled home both runners for a 2-1 lead.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened in the sixth, getting the tying run to second with one out on a McComas single and a sacrifice before stranding the runner, and again in the seventh, when Wilkins walked to lead off the frame and pinch-runner Mike Schleiden (Canton/Massillon Perry) moved to second on a sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch but was stranded there.

Sophomore righthander Matthew Struble (Defiance/Edon) went the distance for the Bishops, striking out 4 and walking 3.

Nick Smith allowed 5 hits over the first 6.0 innings to pick up the win and Aidan Lucas pitched the seventh to post the save for the Big Red.

Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2